…to economic development along the Eastern Shore, including experiential, community-based tourism that is regenerative and restorative.

I would be happy to be part of a group strategy session to provide input as to why a different approach to economic development along the Eastern Shore (including experiential, community-based tourism that is regenerative and restorative) makes so much sense for the long-term viability of many communities. By recognizing the basic systems of ecology, land, biodiversity, and water retention, this extends far beyond the basic concepts of ecotourism.

This is work that I do at the community level in multiple communities across Canada and would be happy to help develop, articulate, and build on what you’ve identified as important to this group.

No expectations on my part, nor asking you to take the lead. More about letting you know that this is my area of practice and I come with a broad background of climate science and collaborative community tourism development across Canada.

My focus is on building community engagement through experiential tourism and storytelling. This approach leads to many people being engaged sustainably over time, by defining appropriate tourism, developing the right scale, and a good strategy over time… with the right activities, for the right visitors, at the right times of the year.

This is nestled into Doughnut Economics and sense of place, guided by local visions and aspirations but informed by globally changing tourism practices that honour local people, practice lower impacts, and develop infrastructure, activities, and local food systems that reflect a sense of place and a regenerative approach to tourism.

Two helpful resources:

1. Just released from The World Travel Foundation – Destinations at Risk: The Invisible Burden of Tourism. It provides excellent analysis and metrics for tourism that does not pass the costs and burdens of tourism down to local communities, municipalities, or businesses.

2. Doughnut Economics – Economics for the 21st Century

This could evolve as a side conversation with group members who are interested in the economic side of the discussion. Please direct this note to whomever is appropriate. If it makes sense for me to help, I will. I have been coaching Sherbrooke Village and community partners on the Eastern Shore for the past year, to develop new experiences based on what is local. Two of these experiences will be available for travelers this summer.

Celes Davar

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